Blowgun



pril 29, 1947. w. B. KNlGHT ET AL 2,419,720

BLOW GUN Filed 001'.. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 29, 1947.

w. B. KNIGHT Ef Al. l 2,419,720

BLOW GUN Y Filed Oct. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 33M MSV-M www@ Patented Apr. 29, 1947 BLOWGUN William Broadus Knight, Fountain Inn, and Ansel Reuben Meadors, Jr., Greenville, S. C.

Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,416

6 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for dispensing uid. More particularly, the invention is directed to devices of the nature of blow guns for dispensing compressed air and the like.

It is often desirable to utilize an available source of compressed air for the purpose of blowing dust and dirt out of inaccessible places, for cleaning coils, gas lines and radiators, and for various other purposes. Devices for this purpose may include an adapter or other element which may be inserted in the valved coupling or chuck of an ordinary compressed air line for the purpose of operating the valve in the chuck and, at the same time, to direct a stream of compressed air to the desired location. Due to the fact that the standard compressedair chucks marketed by various manufacturers vary somewhat in structure, it has not been possible to employ the devices in all commercial chucks. Moreover, it is desirable to provide a light weight, simple device which may be easily installed, retained in place and readily usable by the operator.

The present invention provides a novel device for utilizing standard commercial compressed air lines and chucks in a blow gun. The invention includes a blow gun which is simple in operation and universally adaptable to all of the commercially used types of. air chucks now on the market. For example, the blow gun of the present invention may employ a conventional resilient, fabricreinforced, rubber air hose which is equipped with a Romort, Eastman. Schrader, Acme or other chuck.

For the purpose of illustration, but without intending to limit the scope of the invention thereto, the device is shown and described in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of a device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the device, in section, taken through line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device shown in Figure 1, taken near the open end of the handle member through line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is also a vertical section of the device butl this section is taken near the closed end of the handle member through line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a side View of another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the device shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the deviceshown in Fig. 5 taken near the chuck carrying portion of the handle member through line 'I-'I of Figure 5;

Fig. 8 is also a vertical section but it is taken 2 through line 8--8 of Fig. 5, near the closed end of the handle member.

Throughout the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts.

As Shown in Figure 1, the apparatus of the present invention may conveniently comprise a generally U-shaped handle member constructed of resilient strip metal in the form of a bifurcated handle member I. The bifurcated handle member I is formed from spring metal stock, for example, by forming a generally U- shaped handle including one fork or leg so shaped as to form a channel-like leg 3 and another member in the form of flat leg 4. Although the specic shape of the fork members may be varied, the configurations shown are preferred for purposes which will appear more in detail hereinafter.

A blow pipe 5, which includes a valve actuating stud portion 6, is mounted in ilat leg 4 in the manner shown in Figure 1. By means of stud nut 'I mounted on the upper side of flat leg 4 and welded or brazed nut 8 mounted on the lower side of flat leg 4, blow pipe 5 is held rmly in position with respect to handle member I.

A flexing means in the form of a slot 9 is formed in hat leg 4 as shown more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A fabric-reinforced hose, such as resilient conduit I I, passes through slot/9 to the space `between the legs of handle member I. The dimensions of slot 9 are such that resilient conduit I I slips freely thereinto andby Virtue of its flexing is urged against the inside of channel-shaped leg 3 to maintain the conduit under suii'lcient tension to retain it between the legs of the handle member. Resilient conduit II has mounted at the end thereof a valved coupling in the form of chuck I2. Inasmuch as the conduit I I extends substantially parallel to the legs of the U-shaped handle member from the closed end toward the open end thereof, chuck I2 is disposed near the open end of the handle member.

Channel-shaped leg 3 terminates at the open end of handle member I in a rounded portion indicated in the drawing as seat I3, which restrains movement of the chuck beyond the end of leg3 and maintains the chuck in position with respect thereto. When properly seated in seat I3, the discharge port of chuck l2 is in vertical alignment with stud 6 of blow pipe 5, mounted on and carried by flat leg 4.

Heretofore, it has been necessary to provide specially designed clamping means to hold the chuck in position vfor operation in conjunction with a blow gun. The present invention, rather than utilizing any complicated structure, employs the inherent resilience of the conduit to hold the chuck in proper position with respect to the blow pipe. Moreover, the resilience of the handle member may assist in holding the parts in desired relationship without the necessity for complicated springs or other apparatus.

In operation of the illustrated device, the operators hand- I4 `grasps the handle member, for example, by extending the fingers I5 around the bottom of flat leg 4 and the thumb I6 around channel-shaped leg 3. In this manner, it is possible for the operator to engage the valvel actuating stud 6 of blow pipe 5 with the head of air chuck I2, thus actuating the valve Ymechanism in the chuck and discharging air from theresilient conduit II through blow pipe 5. As soon as the compression of operators hand I3 is released, the handle member automatically returns to its normal position as shown in Figure l by virtue of the resilience of the metal from which it is constructed.

While it is to be understood thatiapplicants device is adaptable for use with'all of the conventional compressed `air chucks of Commercial design, another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, as it is applied to an Eastman chuck.

In Fig. 5, for example, handle member 2! is formed from resilient metal stock in the shape of apair of flat tongs with U-shaped fulcrum `22, upper leg 23, and lower leg 2li. In much the same fashion as in handle member I, shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. l to 4l,v inclusive, handle member 2I includes blow pipeA '25, together with valve actuating stud 26, mounted in lower leg '24 and held in fixed relation thereto by stud nut 21 mounted on the upper side of lower leg 24, and nut`28, mounted on the lower side thereof.

A C-shaped slot 29 is formed in extended portion 3E! adjacent the closed end of handle member I in such manner that resilient conduit 3l may be passed through and held in iiexed relationship to the handle member as shown in the drawings. The resilient conduit, together with air chuck 32 attached to the discharge end thereof, passes through opening 31 in U-shaped fulcrum 22 of bifurcated member i. Preferably, the opening 31 is of such diameter that the air lchuck 32 and conduit 3l may pass through it in as.. sembled condition.

When air chuck 22 is disposed in seat 33 in substantial alignment with valve actuating stud 26, the blow pipe may be operated, for example, by operators hand 34 grasping the handle member as shown in Fig. 5, with the fingers 35 surrounding lower leg 24 and thumb 33 surrounding upper leg 23. As the forks are compressed, one toward the other, valve actuating stud 23 engages and actuates air chuck 32 to permit the air to be discharged from conduit 3| through blow pipe 25,

It will be seen from the drawings that the resilient conduit may be easily assembled and disassembled in the handle member without the aid of tools of any sort. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure l, it is only necessary that the chuck be placed in the channellshaped leg near the open end of the handle portion 3i! of the handle member 2I. By means Vof this assembly, the resilience of resilient conduit 3I urges it against the inside of upper fork 23. While the exing means shown herein provides a highly satisfactory assembly, it is also 4possible to flex the resilient conduit at a point or points other than shown in the embodiments illustrated in Figs. l to 8, inclusive.

While it is desirable to construct the handle member from a resilient metal material, it is possible to utilize less resilient-material with suitable spring means for producing the desired resilience.

The resilient conduit maybe made of natural or synthetic rubber or other materiaL either with or without reinforcement as long as the conduit has sufcientresilience to remain in position with `respect to the cooperating elementsof the handle member.

'While the drawings show the invention-as used in connection with the Romort' and Eastman chucks, it may also be used to advantage with Acme, Schraderf or other commercial types of air chucks. The absence of positive gripping elements to engageY the chuck permits an unlimited variety of chucks tobe used. Y

It will be understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structures shown in the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression intheA appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed-is:

l. A blow gun comprising a generally U-shaped handle member; means adjacent the closed end of said handle member for flexing a resilient fluid conduit under tension against the inner face of a leg of said handle member; a seat'carried bysaid leg near the open end of saidV handle member in which a valved coupling secured to one end of said conduit is positioned; and a blow pipe carried by the other leg of said handle member substantially in alignment with the valved coupling in said seat to engage and open said valved coupling and dischargefluid from said conduit through said blow pipe when `one of the legs of the handle member is moved toward the other.

2. A blow gun comprising a generally U-shaped handle member; means carried by said handle member to flex a resilient conduit extending toward the open end of said member between the forks thereof whereby said conduit is urged against a fork of said handle member by the resilience of said conduit; and a blow pipe carried by the other fork of said handle member in substantial alignment with the discharge opening of a valved coupling carried at the free end of said conduit so as to open said Valve as the forks of said handle member are moved one toward the other,

3. A blow gun comprising a, generally U-shaped handle member; a resilient conduit extending from adjacent the closed end of said handle member toward the'free endof the leg thereof, said conduit having a valved coupling at its outer end; means positioned adjacent the closed end of said handle member for bending said conduit in such manner that the resilience thereof causes the valved coupling to engage the free end of one leg of said handle member; and a blow pipe carried by the free end of the other leg of the handle member in a position to engage and open said valved coupling to discharge iluid from said conduit through said blow pipe when one leg of said handle member is moved toward the other.

4. A blow gun comprising a resilient conduit; a valved coupling connected to the free end of said conduit; a generally U-shaped handle member carried by said conduit with the forked members of said handle member substantially parallel to and on opposite sides of said conduit; means carried by said handle member to flex said resilient conduitunder tension against the inner side of one of said forked members; a seat at the free end of one of said forked members in which said valved coupling is disposed with its discharge ports directed toward the other forked member and held in position by the resilience of said conduit against said forked member; and a blow pipe carried by the other forked member and disposed substantially in alignment with the discharge port of said coupling whereby, upon compression of the U-shaped handle member, the free ends of the forks are brought `closer together and one end of said blow pipe enters the discharge port of said coupling to actuate the valve and conduct the uid from the conduit to the opposite end of said blow pipe.

5. A blow gun comprising a resilient conduit including at one end thereof a valved coupling; a generally U-shaped resilient handle member between the legs of which said conduit is disposed with the valved end of the conduit extending toward the open end of said handle member, said coupling having its discharge opening directed toward one of said legs; means adjacent the closed end of said handle member for holding said resilient conduit by the resilience thereof under tension against the opposite leg of said handle; and a blow pipe carried by said rst mentioned leg substantially in alignment with the discharge opening of said coupling in such manner that, upon reducing the spacing between said legs by compressing the handle member against the resilience thereof, said valved coupling is engaged and actuated by said blow pipe.

6. A blow gun comprising a resilient conduit including at one end thereof a valved coupling; a generally U-shaped resilient handle member between the legs of which said conduit is disposed with the valved end of the conduit extending toward the open end of said handle member, said coupling having its discharge opening directed toward one of said legs; a seat disposed adjacent the free end of the other leg of said handle member in which said coupling is retained; means adjacent the closed end of said handle member for holding said resilient conduit under tension against said other leg of said handle by the resilience of said conduit; and a blow pipe carried by the first mentioned leg substantially in alignment with the discharge opening of said coupling in such manner that, upon reducing the spacing between said legs by compressing the legs against the resilience of the handle, said valved coupling is engaged and actuated by said blow pipe.

WILLIAM BROADUS KNIGHT. ANSEL REUBEN MEADORS, JR, 

